Going on sale in the U.S. in January of 2008, after nearly 10 years of production.

cars — those 2-seaters you see in Paris or Rome that are tiny enough to be parked on the side of the road, perpendicular to traffic — are finally going on sale in the U.S. in January of 2008, after nearly 10 years of production. We'll have an opportunity to buy the -built city car, which is 39.5 in. shorter than a and is powered by a 3-cylinder -built ULEV engine that puts out 70 bhp.

Called the and available as a coupe or a convertible, the smart is spacious for its size, able to hold two large adults in comfort, with enough area above the rear-mounted engine for a couple of large carry-on style-bags. The high seating position of the exoskeleton-style chassis offers a good view forward and helps the car mask its speed. At 65 mph n the freeway, which the smart maintains comfortably (top speed is 90), the car feels relaxed, like it's cruising at perhaps 40, accompanied by a well-muted engine and steering with a natural assist. Stability control and four airbags are standard, and the only negative is the electrically-shifted 5-speed manual gearbox — it shifts automatically or via paddles, but the unnatural pause in momentum that accompanies each upshift makes us long for a standard manual.

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Prices range from $11,590 to $16,590, and EPA mileage is 33 mpg city/44 mpg highway. Therein lies the crux: That's not much better than a , a more conventional car. But where parking is at a premium, such as in San Francisco, the smart fortwo indeed makes a lot of sense. Roger Penske thinks so too: As chairman of smart USA, he's in charge of 74 smart centers across the U.S., most in large cities.